New head coach Jason Carmona takes charge of Bangor John Glenn wrestling team

Bangor John Glenn's first-year coach Jason Carmona has worked with many of his wrestlers during his time as a youth coach. (Lee Thompson | The Bay City Times)

BANGOR TOWNSHIP, MI — When the 2012-13 high school season began, so did a new era for Bangor John Glenn wrestling. But it had a familiar feeling.

Jason Carmona launched his varsity coaching career this season, but it was a culmination of many, many years on the John Glenn wrestling scene. A four-year wrestler for the Bobcats, he has been a fixture in the Bangor youth and middle school programs since his 1992 graduation.

"It's been interesting, to say the least," Carmona said of his inaugural season. "Each kid has their techniques and it’s tricky to both keep those and teach them mine."

Carmona spent 10 years with the Bangor Rec youth wrestling program, followed by five years coaching the middle school team. He also worked as a varsity assistant under Jerry LaFlure a few years ago before replacing Jeff Albrecht as head coach this season.

Carmona's day job is working as a surface technician for a Saginaw sprinkler company, leaving his position mostly out of season during the winter wrestling campaign. Despite his history with the program, Carmona said he was far from an automatic choice for the coaching position.

"The job wasn't given to me, by any means," Carmona said. "When I found out the position was open, I applied for it."

Carmona said his coaching style and player interaction is on the same page as both LaFlure and Albrecht. He said all of them have focused on making sure the school fields a full team capable of being competitive against any opponent. Carmona added his background as a former wrestler is a help to his coaching.

"It helps me recognize their individual styles," Carmona said.

Carmona said this year's team includes 22 wrestlers, filling 13 of the 14 weight classes, with a 103-pound opening. He said about nine of them are wrestlers he previously coached in the youth program.

Carmona's main goal this season is teaching his wrestlers self-control and nip any frustration issues in the bud before they can become damaging. He said he does this through encouragement and building self-esteem. So far his efforts are paying dividends as the Bobcats are 9-4 this season after going 2-2 and finishing third at the Bay County Championships.

"Win or lose, I want them to take it as a good sport either way," Carmona said.

Carmona described his roster this year as very youthful, with only four seniors and one junior alongside a team of underclassmen. He said one of his main goals this season is to prepare his group for both the individual and team districts in February. He added he scheduled a tough lineup of opponents throughout the year to prepare them.